Mahjong FAQ · Learn at the table
A practical answer from Omaha Mahjong Club’s Chinese Mahjong learning library.
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Chinese Mahjong
Flower tiles depict the four traditional Chinese flowers (Plum, Orchid, Chrysanthemum, Bamboo) and Season tiles depict the four seasons (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter). Each bonus tile scores 1 fan and is set aside immediately when drawn, with the player drawing a replacement tile from the back wall. Not all rulesets use them; some competitive formats remove bonus tiles entirely for a cleaner game, but most traditional and social sets include all eight.
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Mahjong FAQ
Good Mahjong deserves good refreshments. Every class includes access to our self-serve station: - Chinese tea - Light snacks, such as pretzels and candy - Bringing your own snacks and beverages (of any kind) are welcomed
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At the start of a game, seats are typically assigned randomly by rolling dice or drawing tiles. Each seat corresponds to a wind: East, South, West, and North, which determines each player's seat wind tile bonus for that round. East seat is the dealer for the first hand. After each hand, seats and wind assignments rotate, though the exact rotation method varies by ruleset. The game typically consists of at least one full East round and one South round.
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